1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to endotracheal medication port adapters and, more specifically, to an endotracheal medication port adapter for the administration of medication via a respiratory pathway.
This invention further relates to an endotracheal medication port adapter used by paramedics, nurses, doctors, etc. to administer drugs and, more particularly, to devices for coupling endotracheal tubes to sources of life supporting gas such as air or oxygen and for allowing for the introduction of medicine while maintaining the supply of gas. This invention relates generally to the administration of medicine to the pulmonary vasculature for the pulmonary administration of pharmaceuticals via an endotracheal tube designed to allow metered administration of drugs without necessitating the interruption of mechanical pulmonary ventilation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional systems for tracheal intubation are employed routinely by health care professionals in hospital settings. The function of tracheal intubation is to provide mechanical assistance to patients to secure air passage and respiration function. Such mechanical assistance is effected by an endotracheal tube extending from a patients lungs to the exterior of the patient where it is coupled to a ventilation source for the administration of oxygen, air or other gasses. In hospital settings, where environmental conditions are excellent, intravenous administration of life-saving drugs is preferred even when a patient is being assisted by an endotracheal tube.
In pre-hospital settings, endotracheal tubes are also employed by paramedics, etc. Generally, the patient is a victim of an accident or another life-threatening medical emergency event that requires the assistance of a mechanical respiration apparatus to supplement abnormal respiration function. As in hospital settings, the preferred method of injecting life-saving drugs in emergency life-threatening situations is intravenous. Unfortunately, the use of intravenous injection of medication in a pre-hospital setting is not always secured by IV therapy. Hence, the alternative of intratracheal drug administration in life-threatening situations is gaining acceptance.
Current endotracheal respiration systems allow for intratracheal drug injections only after disconnecting the life supporting ventilation apparatus supplied with oxygen. There is thus a need for an endotracheal medication port adapter that allows for the introduction of life saving drugs while continuing the flow of life-supporting gasses such as air or oxygen.
Hospitals and health care providers of pre-hospital medicine are increasingly utilizing sterile instruments on a use-once, discard basis. This trend is due to the desire to reduce the transmission of nosocomial infection from one patient to another. Endotracheal medication port adapters are in the use-once, discard category.
The conventional endotracheal respiration system usually comprises at least two separate parts: the tube and a connector for coupling to a ventilation apparatus. The parts are manufactured individually and then assembled, tested and finally packaged in a sterile container. Accordingly, the cost of the materials and labor for an endotracheal respiration system that is used only once is relatively high.
The need thus exists for an endotracheal respiration system, that is convenient, inexpensive and allows for the introduction of medication without interrupting the flow of life supporting gasses and that can be manufactured with few parts, assembled, tested and packaged in a sterile container for use in hospitals and pre-hospital settings on a use-once, discard basis.
Numerous endotracheal devices have been provided in prior art For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,584,998; 4,669,463; 4,723,543; 4,815,459; 4,953,547; 5,031,613; 5,143,062; 5,146,916; 5,181,508; 5,197,463 and 5,207,220 are all illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.